After being in the works for a good couple of years, the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them finally has a script (written by JK Rowling), a director (David Yates) and a release date (18 November 2016).

The cast is starting to take shape too. It’s probable that Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (The Theory Of Everything, Jupiter Ascending) will be starring as magizoologist (like a zoologist but a wizard) Newt Scamander, after he was formally offered the role by Warner Bros. He’s yet to officially accept but it’s looking very likely.

Starring alongside Newt will be a character called Tina, though it’s so far unclear whether she will be a witch or a Muggle. However, she has been described as “grounded” in character descriptions, whatever that means. According to TheWrap, Saoirse Ronan (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Dakota Fanning (The Runaways), Lili Simmons (Banshee) and Alison Sudol (Transparent) are all up for the role, and will be doing screen tests with Redmayne in the coming weeks.

Tina will also have an older sister called Queenie, a “bombshell”, and Warner Bros. is rumoured to have their eye on Kate Upton (The Other Woman), Katherine Waterston (Inherent Vice) and Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby).

Also to be cast is a character called Jacob, who will act as Newt’s rival. Contenders for the role include Steve Zissis (Her), Zach Pearlman (The Virginity Hit) and Dan Folger (Fanboys).

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them will be an original story from JK Rowling based on her book of the same name found on the Hogwarts school curriculum. The film will revolve around Newt Scamander, fictitious author of the book, and be set in New York 70 years prior to Harry Potter‘s story.